29 April 1966ANZAC Marches at Creswick ANZAC Day marches and services at Creswick on Monday were well attended. The attendance of youth organisations helped to make the march worthwhile.At Creswick an observer placed the attendance at slightly less than last year, due perhaps to the Monday holiday making “a long weekend” allowing people to move away further from home.The numbers in the march here did not seem to suffer and there was a good muster of bandsmen to lead them.At the Creswick war memorial, where earlier ex-servicemen held a dawn service, there was laying on of wreaths for the Shire, Creswick, Newlyn and Smeaton RSL sub-branches, their auxiliaries, Creswick Red Cross, scouts, guides, cubs, brownies, and the Victorian School of Forestry and the three primary schools of the town.Shire President Cr. R. G. Bradshaw spoke of the origin of ANZAC in 1915 when the courage, bravery and heroic deeds of the soldiers form Australia and New Zealand made Anzac a name to be remembered. The call in 1939-45 again was answered by similar deeds and since then, in Korea and Vietnam, our men have been fighting to keep war from our shores.“Let us remember that to them we owe our freedom,” Cr Bradshaw said.People then moved to the town hall, where Cr Bradshaw received the colors of the groups who marched and the ceremony continued with representatives of the RSL (Messrs F. James, S,. Boumphrey, K. and A. C. May) leading the prayers and the band leading the singing of hymns.After an address by Mr. Lee Coutts, Mr. K. F. Barrell read the act of remembrance, Mr. Don Ritchie placed a wreath o the honour roll and Mr. H. Felstead played the Last Post.Legacy TypicalMr. Lee Coutts, a member of Legacy, said that Legacy typifies the spirit of Anzac in a very particular way; it was born of a necessity to care for the families of departed comrades.“Many of us today share a background of personal experience of comradeship,” he said, recognizing the gathering as being repeated in every town and village throughout the land- a few from the 1914-18 period, more of later experience and the very young “whom we hope will not be called on to defend their country as we were.”No thinking person could wish to foster a love of war. The Australian soldier had never been regarded as a lover fighting.Leaving that out, then, the reason for such gathering stemmed from courage, mate-ship and loyalty, the essence of the Anzac spirit. How to adapt this to general life? Well the ex-servicemen had an obligation to associate himself in a service club of legacy. All could try to use the ANZAC courage and devotion in their homes and daily lives. “Let’s not lose the ANZAC spirit of have-a-go,” Mr. Coutts said.

28 April 1967A Day To Publicly Pledge To The Ideals Of ANZAC“ANZAC Day is a day we can publicly pledge ourselves to their ideals,” said Mr. Hugh Morrow, ANZAC speaker at Creswick on Tuesday.He was speaking at the town hall after the traditional march through Albert street.Light rain which fell at assembly time appeared to have reduced the numbers on the march, although all the usual organisations were there: Creswick Band, ex-servicemen, the schools, VSF, guides and the scouts.Rain fell during the service at the monument but not enough to drive anyone to shelter.Shire President Cr J. F. Sewell placed a wreath at the memorial column on behalf of the citizens of Creswick – he had earlier placed a wreath on the memorial stone in the avenue of honour at Kingston.“We are made sharply aware of the significance of their act while we have Australian troops fighting on foreign soil right now and , in fact, so recently as last Friday farewelled troops from this town to fight abroad,” said Cr Sewell.Anzac, he said, had built a tradition of which Australia is proud. We are proud to have young men willing to defend our liberties and we look forward to ANZAC Days in an era of peace.Other wreaths were placed on behalf of Creswick, Smeaton and Newlyn sub-branches of RSL, their auxiliaries, Red Cross, scouts, cubs, guides, brownies, Creswick, North Creswick and St. Augustine’s schools, the Victorian School of Forestry, Creswick Band and others.Creswick bandmaster, Mr. Tom Ross, played the Last Post there and at the town hall.More people joined in the shelter of the town hall where the band led the singing of hymns and the Shire President was assisted by Messrs F. James, D. Ritchie, K. Barrell, and F. C. Evans.Cr Sewell welcomed Mr. Hugh Morrow, of Ballarat (an ex Flight Lieutenant of the Royal Australian Air Force) and Mr. Tom Evans, MLA. Mr. Morrows talk was a brief study of Anzac Day in our modern life and community.It is 52 years since the original Anzac Day. The persistence, initiative and inventiveness of those men of Australia and New Zealand on Gallipoli is all now part of history.In that campaign was built the repute of the fighting capacity of the Australians and New Zealanders; it grew during the second world war and lived on through Korea and now.The outbreak of the 1914-18 war posed a threat to the Australian’s way of life. He and his comrades set off to make it a war to end wars. Their story is full of self sacrifice and mateship.We began by observing the anniversary of ANZAC Day as a day when we remembered their deeds and their ideals.Look at the world today and we seem to have traveled a long way from that goal. For the past 20 years, thunder clouds of a third world war have rolled around on the horizon.Within, we have seen crime, selfishness and moral laxity increase. When a country’s moral fibre weakens, its ability to resist aggression weakens.“ANZAC Day,” said Mr. Morrow, “is the one day of the year we give thanks to those who laid down their lives…… to give us the opportunity to develop our nation-a day when we can publicly pledge ourselves to their ideals and prove to the world by our actions that their sacrifice was not in vain.

19 April 1968SHIRE OF CRESWICK-ANZAC DAY COMMEMORATION-Members of the Public are invited to join in the Public Commemoration of ANZAC Day at Creswick on Thursday, April 25, 1968.All District ex-Service Personnel, Soldiers' Fathers, Forestry School Students, Scouts, Cubs, Guides, Brownies and Children form all Schools, led by the Creswick District Brass Band will march from Davies Bridge to the Monument where wreaths will be laid on the Memorial Column and a brief Service held.Assembly time at Davies Bridge is 9.15am.A. C. CHARLESON, Shire President.26 April 1968Creswick ANZAC March Strong As EverCreswick’s ANZAC march yesterday lost nothing by starting at the earlier hour (9.15a.m.) – in fact it was as strong as ever, actually stronger in numbers than last year.At least to this big gathering of young and old. ANZAC Day meant something yesterday.Conditions were really difficult for speakers as a strong wind rose at times a gale force.After the march from Davies bridge and assembly at the war memorial column wreaths were laid by the Shire President, the RSLs from Newlyn, Smeaton and Creswick and their auxiliaries, Red Cross, Scouts, Cubs, Guides, Brownies, the Creswick State School, Creswick North State School and St. Augustine’s Primary School, Victorian School of Forestry, Apex, Band and other organisations.The schools, scouts, cubs, guides and brownies had joined the RSLs in the march led by Creswick band, with Creswick RSL President, Mr. G. Paine, as marshal.Shire President, Cr. A.C. Charleson (who had earlier placed a shire wreath on the memorial at Kingston) invited others to place wreaths.“The story of brave men is and has been the inspiration of mankind-men and women whose loyalty has risen above personal safety and security to which they have so readily given. In asking you never to forget these people or their deeds I think that if they could give us a message as we commemorate here today it would be,’only those deserve freedom who are prepared to defend it,’ said Cr Charleson.WHAT DOES ANZAC MEAN TO YOU?“Today,” said Cr Selwyn Geddes, giving the ANZAC address, there at the memorial column, “all Australia should be remembering, with pride, those who fell, those who returned, those who suffered.“What does ANZAC mean to you?”Only this week, he said, a newsman in Melbourne stopped people in the street to ask “what does Anzac mean to you?” Time after time, came the answer, “Nothing.” One had replied, “It should be a day to be forgotten.”“So,” said Cr Geddes, “I ask myself what it meant to me.”At that he began remembering: as a small boy at school in the 1920’s, hearing a returned man, in full uniform, medals proudly on his chest, describe the landing at Gallipoli: the silent approach by boats during the night: the disembarking from those ships. Then in that old soldier’s own words, “All hell was let loose,” as the Turks opened fire on those first ANZAC's.To some, memories go back to 1899-1902 when the first Australian Light Horse served in South Africa, others remember 1914-18, Flanders, Palestine…..more remember the second world war – Crete, Greece, the POWs, Malaya, Singapore, New Guinea….“In that war, for the first time, we had the threat of invasion and fought for our existence,” Cr Geddes said.He recalled the development of the Australian air force and navy.Today men who served in Korea and Vietnam join the ANZAC marches.“In many of these spheres, our comrades fought to assist our allies to keep invaders away from us,” he said. “To you boys and girls will fall the task of upholding the memory of those who defended Australia,” he said.

1969

No information available

1 May 1970No Glorification of War by ANZAC“When I was a boy, there was no question but that Anzac Day was a day of mourning and remembrance - only an imbecile could have suggested it was a glorification of war.” said Mr R. E. Hobson, guest speaker at Creswick’s ANZAC Day service.There was scarcely a family which had not suffered some loss - 60,000 were killed - one in every five who went . Of those who returned, three in five had suffered some injury, he said. It was unthinkable that such people would want to glorify war.Some thirty years ago, there was an illusion that the British Empire would go on and on... but as it began to break up, there followed an illusion of guilt about the empire. Yet why? Why be ashamed of being part of one of the greatest developments in history? A development which gave as much to the world as did Greece or the Catholic church.If we approach ANZAC Day in that proper spirit of mourning and remembrance, it invites us to seek knowledge and wisdom for the welfare of mankind until the concept of patriotism be transcended by a higher concept, Mr Hobson said.Smaller Crowd The march at Creswick seemed up to strength but the attendance of the public was smaller - perhaps because some had gone away for the weekend.Led by Creswick band, there were ex-service men, VSF students, scouting and guiding groups and children from all schools.The Shire President, before laying a wreath at the memorial column on behalf of the people of the shire, spoke briefly of the commemoration of those who had make sacrifices in the wars.Other wreaths were placed on behalf of RSL (Creswick, Newlyn and Smeaton) and their auxiliaries, the several scouting and guiding groups, VSF and the Creswick primary schools, Red Cross branches and others.As A NationWhen the people next assembled in the town hall for the service, Cr Bradshaw called their attention to the national aspect. “It is not just here but in places all over Australia, we are gathered as a nation, to remember,” he said.He was assisted by Messrs J.F. Sewell, D. W. J. Ritchie, G. Paine, K. F. Barrell, A.T. Evans, A. Turner, C. Giersch and J. McMillan, in the conduct of the service. Mr C. Dekker, of Creswick band, played the Last Post.

Ode of Remembrance

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow oldAge shall not weary them, nor the years condemnAt the going down of the sun and in the morningWe will remember them